Katchafire
Parts of this article have been extracted from the SLOW-BURNING MEDIA KIT by Graham Reid
Reggae is one of the bloodlines of New Zealand music -- which accounts for the extraordinary success of Hamilton’s Katchafire who, two years ago, emerged as the hardest working band in the country.
Their astonishing debut album, the prophetically named Revival, sold in excess of 30,000 copies (double platinum) and they scored massive hits with songs like Giddy Up, the biggest selling single of 2002.
Katchafire were, and remain, unique in New Zealand music. They are a viable, touring eight-piece band which can work the length of the country without exhausting the place. They can return to a venue they played just a few months before and pack it out all over again. That is rare for any band.
The success of the band was evident in album sales, opening shows for the likes of Michael Franti and Spearhead, gigs all across the country (three in one day on Waitangi Day 2004, in Hamilton, Manukau and Nelson), three tours to Australia and New Caledonia, and most recently a stadium-filling headlining show in Fiji.
Katchafire's Revival album debuted on Billboard's Top World Music Albums Chart at #5 in March 2006.
In late 2005, their two albums were packaged together and released as Double Pack, with artwork reminiscent of an old Zig-Zag cigarette papers pack. Retailing at about the same price as each album did individually, the Double Pack was also a massive hit, though deleted quickly - much to the dismay of record store employees who have to tell several people a day it is no longer available.
Members
- Ara Adams-Tamatea - bass, band manager
- Logan Bell - guitar, vocals
- Jordan Bell - drums
- Grenville Bell - lead guitar
- Jamey Ferguson - keyboards, saxophone, vocals
- Thompson Hohepa - rhythm guitar, vocals
- Haani Totorewa - keyboards, guitar, vocals
- Leon Davey - percussion, harmonica, vocals
